Method for thermal recording

The present invention relates to a method and a device for thermal recording by means of a thermal head having energisable heating elements. Even, more in particular, the invention is related to thermal recording by means of such a thermal head and a radiation beam, even more preferably a transparent thermal head and a laserbeam. A method for recording an image on a thermographic material (m) provides a thermographic material, a transparent thermal head (TH) having energizable heating elements (Hi), and a radiation beam (L). The heating elements of the thermal head are activated and the radiation beam is passed through transparent parts of the thermal head. Herein, the total energy resulting from the thermal head and from the radiation beam has a level corresponding to a gradation of the image to be recorded. Further embodiments comprise e.g. holding the thermographic material on one and a same drum during both an imagewise exposing step and a heating step.